UK Gambling Survey 2026: Participation Stable, Problem Gambling Falls to 2.4 Percent

The Gambling Commission's latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), published in July 2026, shows gambling participation holding broadly stable at 47 percent of adults over the previous four weeks, while the headline problem gambling rate eased to 2.4 percent from 2.7 percent a year earlier. Now in its third year, the survey also found that 18 to 24 year-olds are gambling less than previous cohorts, and that National Lottery draws remain by far the most popular product.

The GSGB is the Commission's flagship measure of how Great Britain gambles. It is run by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) with the University of Glasgow and surveys roughly 20,000 adults a year, making it one of the largest gambling participation studies in the world. The 2026 release marks three full years of data (2023 to 2025), giving regulators and operators their most complete trend line yet.

What did the 2026 Gambling Survey for Great Britain find?

It found gambling engagement is essentially flat year on year, with a small dip in headline participation and a lower problem gambling rate. Four-week participation slipped to 47 percent from 48 percent, and annual participation fell to 59 percent from 60 percent in 2024 and 61 percent in 2023. When National Lottery draw-only players are stripped out, four-week participation drops to 27 percent, underlining how much of the total is driven by the lottery.

• 47 percent of adults gambled in the past four weeks, down from 48 percent (GSGB, 2026).
• 59 percent gambled in the past 12 months, down from 60 percent in 2024 (GSGB, 2026).
• 2.4 percent scored 8 or above on the Problem Gambling Severity Index, down from 2.7 percent (GSGB, 2026).
• 38 percent gambled online, broadly unchanged year on year (GSGB, 2026).

How does gambling participation compare year on year?

Participation is down marginally but the Commission describes the overall picture as stable. The table below sets out the headline measures across the three survey years.

Measure	2023	2024	2025 (latest)
Annual participation	61%	60%	59%
Four-week participation	-	48%	47%
Problem gambling (PGSI 8+)	-	2.7%	2.4%
18 to 24 annual participation	54%	52%	48%

The Commission continues to caution that PGSI figures from the GSGB should be read alongside other measures rather than treated as a single definitive prevalence number, because the survey's methodology differs from earlier studies.

What is the UK problem gambling rate in 2026?

The problem gambling rate stands at 2.4 percent of adults, down from 2.7 percent in the previous year. Alongside that headline figure, the survey splits gamblers into risk bands. Moderate-risk gambling edged up to 3.5 percent from 3.1 percent, while low-risk gambling fell to 7.8 percent from 8.8 percent. Taken together, the mix suggests fewer people in the lowest risk tier but a slight rise in the moderate-risk group, which is why the Commission stresses looking across the full range of measures.

Are young adults gambling less?

Yes. Gambling among 18 to 24 year-olds continues a clear downward trend. In the latest data, 48 percent of that age group had gambled in the last 12 months, down from 52 percent in 2024 and 54 percent in 2023. The largest gambling demographic is now the 35 to 44 age group at 66 percent. Younger adults also stand out for their motivations, with 18 to 24 year-olds more likely than any other group to say they gamble because it is fun rather than to win money.

Which gambling products are the most popular?

National Lottery draws remain the single most popular activity by a wide margin, played by around 31 percent of adults. Charity lotteries follow at 16 percent, and scratchcards sit at 12 percent, slightly down from 13 percent. Excluding lottery-only players reshapes the picture, with betting rising to 12 percent (up three points on an earlier wave) and horse racing climbing to 7 percent. Online, the National Lottery again leads, followed by charity lottery draws and sports or racing betting.

Why do people in Britain gamble?

Winning money is the dominant driver, but enjoyment and excitement rank highly too. When asked their reasons, 84 percent of respondents cited the chance of winning money, 69 percent said it was enjoyable, 57 percent pointed to making money and 53 percent to excitement. Notably, 78 percent of people who gamble described their feelings about it as either positive or neutral, a data point the industry has seized on as evidence that the majority engage without harm.

What did the Gambling Commission say?

The Commission framed the third year of data as a maturing evidence base rather than a set of alarming swings.

"Three years of GSGB provides a richer, more timely picture of the trend in gambling in Great Britain than has previously been available," said Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission.

That message of stability matters commercially and politically. The survey lands as UK operators absorb higher duties and cost pressure, with several already restructuring. Reports that Entain is cutting jobs as UK gambling taxes bite show how sensitive the sector is to any signal about the size and health of the market.

Is self-exclusion rising among young people?

Yes, sharply. Even as headline participation among under-25s falls, more young people are proactively using self-exclusion tools. GamStop, the national online self-exclusion scheme, reported a 40 percent year-on-year increase in under-25s signing up, and a 75 percent rise over the past five years. Under-25s now account for roughly one-third of all self-exclusions on the scheme.

"The fact that self-exclusion has again increased significantly year on year shows that users are continuing to find it an invaluable and flexible tool to manage their gambling, particularly younger consumers," said Fiona Palmer, Chief Executive of GamStop.

How is the survey conducted?

The GSGB uses a push-to-web method with a paper option, run by NatCen with the University of Glasgow, sampling around 20,000 adults a year. That scale is a deliberate response to criticism of earlier gambling prevalence surveys, which had smaller samples and were run less frequently. The Commission has repeatedly said the GSGB is not directly comparable with the old Health Survey series, which is why it urges caution on straight year-on-year problem gambling comparisons.

What does harm to others look like?

The share of people reporting harm from someone else's gambling declined. Those saying that someone close to them gambled dropped from 48 percent to 43.2 percent, one of several secondary measures the Commission tracks to build a fuller picture of gambling-related harm beyond the individual gambler.

What does this mean for operators and regulators?

A stable market with a falling headline problem gambling rate strengthens the industry's argument that participation is not spiralling, even as scrutiny of advertising, affordability and sponsorship intensifies. For the regulator, three consistent years of data give it firmer ground to design proportionate interventions. The rise in moderate-risk gambling and the surge in young self-excluders, however, give campaigners equally firm ground to argue that risk is shifting rather than disappearing.

Key facts at a glance

• Four-week participation: 47 percent (down from 48 percent).
• Annual participation: 59 percent (down from 60 percent).
• Problem gambling (PGSI 8+): 2.4 percent (down from 2.7 percent).
• Moderate-risk: 3.5 percent (up from 3.1 percent). Low-risk: 7.8 percent (down from 8.8 percent).
• 18 to 24 annual participation: 48 percent (down from 54 percent in 2023).
• Most popular product: National Lottery draws at around 31 percent.
• Sample: about 20,000 adults a year, run by NatCen and the University of Glasgow.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Gambling Survey for Great Britain?

It is the Gambling Commission's official measure of gambling participation and harm in Great Britain, run by NatCen with the University of Glasgow and surveying around 20,000 adults a year.

What is the UK problem gambling rate in 2026?

The latest GSGB puts the problem gambling rate at 2.4 percent of adults, based on a score of 8 or above on the Problem Gambling Severity Index, down from 2.7 percent a year earlier.

Is gambling participation in Britain going up or down?

It is broadly stable with a slight downward drift. Four-week participation fell to 47 percent from 48 percent, and annual participation to 59 percent from 60 percent.

Are young people gambling more?

No. Participation among 18 to 24 year-olds fell to 48 percent over 12 months, down from 54 percent in 2023, while self-exclusion among under-25s rose 40 percent year on year.

Can you compare these figures with older problem gambling surveys?

The Commission advises caution. The GSGB uses a different methodology from the earlier Health Survey series, so it is not directly comparable and should be read as its own trend line.

Updated July 2026. Figures are drawn from the Gambling Commission's Gambling Survey for Great Britain and reporting by the National Centre for Social Research, with additional data from GamStop.

Sources: Gambling Commission, Gambling Survey for Great Britain.